00:44 - ApothecaryI never saw the appeal of Pallbearer. Ok music, but not worth the enormous praise they've been getting by some. Didn't ever impress me much on album and when I saw them live with Deafheaven I wasn't really won over either

It has recently been announced that the two-day metal event Forces Of Metal, taking place on June 8th-9th in The Netherlands and boasting such as acts as Sonata Arctica, Kamelot, Dark Funeral and Draconian has unfortunately been cancelled for reasons which remain undisclosed. In a short public letter posted on the festival's website, the organisers had this to say: "It is with a heavy heart that we have to inform you that Forces Of Metal 2012 will not take place. We've tried; tried hard, but to no avail."

"Was It Worth It?", the brand-new single from Children Of Bodom has been made available for streaming, over at Facebook.

In order to get access to the stream you'll have to let everybody know you're into Children Of Bodom by "liking" them on Facebook (Ha ha! /Nelson), or just wait till some smartass uploads the whole thing on YouTube (a rough radio version is already available here).

"Was It Worth It?" comes off the band's upcoming new album Relentless Reckless Forever, which will be released on March 8th through Universal Music.

As you might remember, back in September, Finnish metallers Moonsorrow started recording their new full-length album. Now, on the 23rd studio day, guitarist Mitja Harvilahti has issued what might be the weirdest studio update in the history of studio updates, talking about a Moonsorrow side project called, uhm, Penectomy. Have a look at this:

"Last week we drove some 100km to the woods. In the woods there was a cabin. In the cabin we recorded Ville´s lead vocals. The landscape was truely beautiful with the trees turning to yellow, red, brown etc. I´m currently writing this at the Sonic Pump studios where we are preparing the tracks to be mixed.

Henri, Ville and Markus are discussing about things that people put in their asses. Jelly jars, potatos, and fists etc.

Now they are searching for a band called Penectomy. If it does not exist, they will put up a project like that right away.

No there is not one.

So, Moonsorrow has a new official side project called Penectomy. Demo (tape? CD? MP3?) to be released next year."

In an interview with Noisecreep, Children Of Bodom frontman Alexi Laiho, told that the band is in the process of writing new material for their upcoming album, scheduled to be released in late 2010/early 2011.

"We're gonna start writing music and hopefully we'll be able to take some time so we can come up with some really cool songs. I already have a bunch of new riffs that I'm happy with, so hopefully we'll just keep being productive."

Children of Bodom have studio time booked for early summer, which should give them at least five months to write the new material. "We're doing three shows in Finland in April, but other than that we're just going to be working really hard, so there won't be much happening until we're done with the record," Laiho further adds.

UPDATE (thanks to Windrider)

Official press release

Children Of Bodom, the esteemed Finnish Heavy Metal band that features frontman and modern day guitar hero Alexi Laiho has entered Hollola, Finland's Petrax Studios to begin work on its as-yet-untitled seventh studio album. Children Of Bodom has enlisted famed rock producer Matt Hyde (Slayer, Monster Magnet) to oversee the new recording and will remain in the studio through late September.

"We're very excited to let everyone hear what we're creating with this new record," said the band in a statement. "Everything you love about Children Of Bodom has been magnified tenfold and we're pushing ourselves harder than ever before. Expect nothing less than the perfect storm!"

Audrey Y Beeson-Michael, the older sister of Curtis Beeson, former drummer of the '80s/'90s metal bands Nasty Savage, Massacre, Fester and Denial Fiend, has sent the following letter to Blabbermouth.net:

"On Monday, June 28, 2010, we found out that Curtis had a massive brain tumor. Curtis had been complaining of headaches and losing the vision in his right eye for about five months. Being a "man", he did not go immediately to the hospital. My mother and my other brother Sanford (former singer of Low Brow) kind of "dragged" him to Tampa General Hospital on that Monday. After explaining to the ER staff his symptoms, they immediately send him for a CT Scan and MRI. They found a massive tumor, over and behind his right eye. They scheduled him for surgery for Friday, July 2 at 8 a.m. After 16 hours of surgery, his doctor finally came out and said that they had removed all of the tumor. The tumor was the size of a softball.

His doctor did not know the extent of the damage the tumor had caused, but earlier in the week, the ophthalmologist, after looking at his CT, said that he was probably blind in his right eye. His doctor said that after the surgery we would have to wait and see about his vision. He said the tumor had been pushing so far on his eye that the optic nerve might have been completely damaged.

The staff said he is making tremendous progress, even after a few hours. He was up talking and walking, which was a good sign. He told my mother that the first thing he checked were his legs to see if they still worked. I believe he was more worried about that than his vision. He can play the drums blind, but has to have his legs. Later on during the day, he said that the vision in his right eye seemed to be coming back, which was a very good sign.

He's on the road to recovery. We don't know how long it will be, but like the staff said, he's making great progress and has a great attitude towards all of it. I know that once he is well enough, he will want to get back to playing his drums.

Our family wants to thank everyone for all of their thoughts, prayers and support through this rough time. We would especially like to thank Dr. Eric Sauvageau, neurosurgeon of Tampa General Hospital and all of the staff for their wonderful job."

US technical death/grind metallers Cephalic Carnage have announced the addition of guitarist Brian Hopp to the group's ranks. Brian Hopp will be replacing Zac Joe as lead guitarist.

The band stated: "So yeah yeah old news, but as most of you know Zac left the band, but what you don't know is who our new guitarist is. Please welcome Brian Hopp a.k.a. Legolas to the Cephalic family. He's got a really sweet bow and arrow, and his guitar playing is almost as good as his archery. We are extremely pleased with his work on the new record, and we think you will be too. Come tickle his chin and give him a pinch on Summer's Laughter."

Misled By Certainty, the new Cephalic Carnage's album, is due on August 31 via Relapse Records.

Dimmu Borgir proudly announce the launch of the first leg to their Darkness Reborn World Tour for their upcoming new album with Korn in Europe.

States guitarist/songwriter Silenoz: "We really look forward to finally start the touring cycle in support of our new monster! Special thanks to Jonathan and Korn for giving us the opportunity!"

Dimmu Borgir's ninth studio album will be released in Germany on October 1st, in the rest of Europe on October 4th, and in North America on October 12th. More updates are expected to be announced very soon, so stay hanging around.

Swedish progressive/experimental metallers Therion have just unveiled the artwork for their upcoming album, Sitra Ahra, due to release in September via Nuclear Blast Records. The artwork can be viewed at the band's official website, at this location:
http://main.megatherion.com/media/disco/sitraahra.png

The CD was mixed at the legendary Polar Studios in Stockholm by Lennart Östlund (Led Zeppelin, ABBA). The cover artwork was created by Thomas Ewerhard, who worked on all of the band's most recent releases in addition to collaborating with Edguy, Avantasia, Rage and Hammerfall, among others.

Sitra Ahra was mastered in New York and it features the following track listing:

According to an update posted on Saturnus' official MySpace page, the band will re-release their first three albums in July. Here is the full update from the band:

"Our former label Euphonious Records/VME will re-release the first three Saturnus releases internationally on July 26. The releases have been sold out for a while, but will now be available again in new versions. The re-releases are out in Denmark already, and are available at most record stores, as well as online. We will keep you posted on where to get it from international mailorders soon."

Re-release details:

Paradise Belongs To You - 2CD: comes in digipack with all of the legendary Roskilde Festival 1997 CD as a bonus CD.
For The Loveless Lonely Nights - 1CD: comes in digipack with 2 bonus tracks.
Martyre - 1CD: comes in digipack with 2 bonus tracks.

Fairyland keyboardist/backing vocalist Philippe Giordana previously stated about the new album, "The main vocal character on the disc is the Italian singer Marco Sandron from the progressive metal band Pathosray. His voice fits perfectly into our style. Other vocal participations on the album by Elisa Martin (the original Fairyland vocalist from the debut album), Lars Larsen (from Danish power metal band Manticora) and Georg Neuhauser (from Austrian power metal band Serenity).

01. Opening Credits
02. Across The Endless Sea Part II
03. Assault On The Shore
04. Leviathan
05. A Soldier's Letter
06. Godsent
07. At The Gates Of Morken
08. Rise Of The Giants
09. Score To A New Beginning
10. End Credits